Customer Reviews

Oregon's Dry Side: Exploring East of the Cascade Crest

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The varied wonderlands of Oregon East of the Cascades are largely unknown, even to many Oregonians, who think of it as "the desert". This book finally offers glimpse after glimpse of the diversity of scenery, ecosystems, and satisfying landscapes that exist here.

The photography is absolutely outstanding, and the images are accompanied by accurate captions. The choices of human history photographs and quotes are great. The natural history sections are readable, unlike a field guide, and there is an excellent balance of "charismatic species" coverage. As one of those who prefers places to people, I found the balance between obsession with our own species and appreciation for the others to be perfect.

As far as I can tell, it is extraordinarily accurate - and I learned a few things even after Skylar and I have been exploring the subtleties of these places for over 20 years. There are some excellent perspectives; for example, St. John probably wins the prize for the best way to frame the Columbia River dam "controversy" (see page 177). He is unafraid of "deep time" to explain modern ecosystems and weaves the fossil record throughout the text.

My only concern is purely selfish = he describes some of our favorite haunts so eloquently, readers are going to flock to them and the desert solitaire he praises will change. Oh, well. Maybe those readers will be moved to protect these special places as a result. I just hope the editors of Outside never get a copy...

I plan to buy a few dozen as gifts for friends who wonder "Why are you guys living out there in the frontier instead of in _____ (insert city, bay, whatever)?"

This is on the top of my list of "Books that Work".

Ted Fremd

Paleontologist

John Day Basin

This book provides, in stunning pictures, as well as words, a picture of Oregon that most people don't know exists. It is a travel guide that covers small towns and natural areas in good detail. Most people don't know that these places exist, an a vacation or weekend trip to these areas will get you away from the crowds (unless you choose to attend a local festival, where the crowds are still not exceedingly large).

St John gives listings of wildflowers and wildlife you might see along the route or at your destination and when the best chances of sightings occur. These helpful hints prove to be very useful. Being a desert rat, I find it easy to see the beauty in the remote areas St John describes.

Having traveled many of these places, this book makes me want to get out and see more. Good history, good recommendations, great photos!!

A beautifully produced, sensitive survey of the complexities of "the other Oregon." A delightful mix of history, geology, natural history, and personal impressions of both the well-known and obscure.

I live in Southern California and discovered this unique area a few years ago. And I keep going back even though it's an 800 mile drive. That's how fascinating this place is. As other reviewers point out, Eastern Oregon is rarely visited. Let's hope it stays that way.

An interesting aspect of this book is that the author took all the photographs. He's as good a photographer as he is a writer so the text and the images are closely related.

There are a handful of other guides for this area, including material put out by the state, but nothing matches this one. So if you're heading for the Dry Side of Oregon, this book is an absolute necessity.

I have enjoyed this book immensely -- marvelous photos and useful information for anyone interested in Oregon east of the Cascades. I have found it helpful in selecting travel destinations and planning trips.